Nelly and Edgar
Nelly and Edgar 5-8 H Nelly and Edgar are two of many characters in Brontes Wuthering Heights. Nelly (Ellen) first appears in Chapter 4 as mr lockwoods servant. After spending the night at heathcliffs, mr Lockwood returns curious about his history. Mr Lockwood asks Nelly about heathcliffs past. Nelly, heathcliffs families housekeeper as a child, launches into stories about his childhood. She explains how he was adopted into the family by mr earnshaw and the tension between hindley and heathcliff. However, Cathy and heathcliff got along excellently. In addition, after taking care of him while he was sick along with the other children, Nelly grew to like heathcliff because he was so low matinence compared the other kids. When mrs earnshaw dies, hindley was sent off to college and years later mr earnshaw died. When hindley came back for his fathers funeral, he treats heathcliff very poorly. One night, Heathcliff and Cathy run off to mess with Edgar and his sisters. Nelly waits for them to return but only Heathcliff does. Cathy was bit by the dog and ends up staying at their house for five weeks. She returns well mannered. Heathcliff attacks Edgar. Nelly really cared for Heathcliff, worked for his family Edgar hated him Quotes- “In other words, I must wish for Edgar Linton’s great blue eyes and even forehead,’ he replied. ‘I do—and that won’t help me to them.” Nelly comforting heathcliff tatum wade Nelly and Edgar 9-12 H Nelly and Edgar are develope into even more complex characters in Chapter 9-12 of Wuthering Heights. In Chapter 9, Catherine goes to Nelly for advice. Catherine explains that Edgar proposed to her and she is conflicted about her response. Catherine also tells Nelly about the dream she had about being in heaven and being unhappy there. Nelly helps her realize that she is indeed in love with Heathcliff but she cannot marry him. In chapter 10, Heathcliff returns after three years and Catherine is delighted to see him again. However, Edgar does not like his company and is very jealous of all the attention Catherine gives to Heathcliff. Edgar gets even more angry when Catherine gets jealous of Heathcliff and Isabellas realationship. Edgar demands that Catherine chooses who she wants to be with. Catherine forces Edgar to confront Heathcliff alone. All along Nelly is observing and telling this story. In chapter 12, Nelly and Edgar help nurse Catherine back to heath after she became sick. She also finds out she is pregnant. Nelly listens to Catherine rave on about her and Heathcliff when they were younger, death, and many other insane and delerious thoughts. When Edgar comes home, he tells Nelly to go get a doctor because she looks so weak to him. Also, isabella and Heathcliff get married and Edgar says that Isabella is going to be disowned. In conclusion, in these chapters, Nelly serves more as an observer of the drama caused by Edward, Isabella, Catherine, and Heathcliff. quotes“I’m very far from jesting, Miss Catherine,’ I replied. ‘You love Mr. Edgar because he is handsome, and young, and cheerful, and rich, and loves you. The last, however, goes for nothing: you would love him without that, probably; and with it you wouldn’t, unless he possessed the four former attractions.’‘No, to be sure not: I should only pity him—hate him, perhaps, if he were ugly, and a clown.’‘But there are several other handsome, rich young men in the world: handsomer, possibly, and richer than he is. What should hinder you from loving them?’‘If there be any, they are out of my way: I’ve seen none like Edgar.’‘You may see some; and he won’t always be handsome, and young, and may not always be rich.” 83 “I’m nearly distracted, Nelly!’ she exclaimed, throwing herself on the sofa. ‘A thousand smiths’ hammers are beating in my head! Tell Isabella to shun me; this uproar is owing to her; and should she or any one else aggravate my anger at present, I shall get wild. And, Nelly, say to Edgar, if you see him again to-night, that I’m in danger of being seriously ill. I wish it may prove true” 126 Nelly and Edgar 13-16 H In chapter 13, Nelly again serves as a messanger for Heathcliff and Catherine after she is threatened to be heald hostage if she doesnt allow him to see her or even communicate with her in any way. Nelly remains quite neutral in everybody's affairs after having lives at Wuthering heights and Thuscross Grange. She sees everybodys sides of the story and honestly assesses her feelings about the person or situation. In chapter 14, nelly goes behind Edgar's back and gives Heathcliff's letter to the sick Catherine. When she is giving her the letter, Heathcliff eneters and the two spend time together. Edgar enters and sees Heathcliff and Catherine together and is outraged but he has to help catherine because she collapses. Catherine dies sevral hours later after giving birth to a premature baby. Heathcliff asks for Catherine to haunt him as long as he lives. Edgar attends her funeral and Nelly notes that the two are now burried together in the moores today. “ I had made up my mind not to give it till my master went somewhere, as I could not guess how its receipt would affect Catherine. The consequence was, that it did not reach her before the lapse of three days. The fourth was Sunday, and I brought it into her room after the family were gone to church.” “Edgar, in his anxiety for her, forgot her hated friend. I did not. I went, at the earliest opportunity, and besought him to depart; affirming that Catherine was better, and he should hear from me in the morning how she passed the night.” Nelly and Edgar 17-20 H In these chapters, Nelly cares for young Catherine while Edgar is away picking up his sister's, Isabella, son, Linton. Nelly is still telling the story to Lockwood. She talks about how she got mad at Catherine for disobeying her father's orders set in place to protect her from Wuthering Heights. When catherien escapes, nelly finds her at Wuthering heights and becomes enraged with her. She also ends up telling her Harenton is her cousin as well as Linton. She also is instructed by Edgar to take linton to Heathcliff at Wuthering heights. Nelly explains Getahcliffs cruelty towards his son. Nelly is still the caretaker and the story teller. Nelly stays pretty consistant throughout the book. Not much happens to her. Edgar, in my opinion, is the best rounded man in the story. He is very protecting of catherine which is a relief because many of the children in this novel are treated cruelly,. “Put that hat on, and home at once,’ said I. ‘I’m dreadfully grieved at you, Miss Cathy: you’ve done extremely wrong! It’s no use pouting and crying: that won’t repay the trouble I’ve had, scouring the country after you. To think how Mr. Linton charged me to keep you in; and you stealing off so! It shows you are a cunning little fox, and nobody will put faith in you any more.” “Till she reached the age of thirteen she had not once been beyond the range of the park by herself. Mr. Linton would take her with him a mile or so outside, on rare occasions; but he trusted her to no one else.” “ Nelly and Edgar 21-24 H In chapters 21-24, nelly plays a huge part in Catherine and Lintins relationship. She has to come between them and has to stop their exchanging of letters to and from each other. Also, Nelly feels like she has to help make up for Edgar's lack of presence in Catherines life because of his illness. Edgar also plays a role in Catherine's corruption when she learns that her father and Heathcliff do not get along so well. Nelly continues to tell the story and Edgar continues to be a source of conflict and comfort in the story. “She sprang forward, and bursting into tears, threw her arms round my neck. ‘Well, Ellen, I’m so afraid of you being angry,’ she said. ‘Promise not to be angry, and you shall know the very truth: I hate to hide it.’ We sat down in the window-seat; I assured her I would not scold, whatever her secret might be, and I guessed it, of course; so she commenced—” “She had his companionship no longer; I esteemed it a duty to supply its lack, as much as possible, with mine: an inefficient substitute; for I could only spare two or three hours, from my numerous diurnal occupations, to follow her footsteps, and then my society was obviously less desirable than his.” “Naughty Ellen!’ exclaimed Catherine, flying to attack me next with her lavish caresses. ‘Wicked Ellen! to try to hinder me from entering” "She appeared so deeply impressed and shocked at this new view of human nature—excluded from all her studies and all her ideas till now—” Nelly and Edgar 25-28 H In chapters 25-28, it becomes more apparent to me that nelly is very much like a mother figure to catherine. She is always looking after her, talking to her, giving her advice, and comforting her. She sticks by her side no matter what. Nelly and Catheirne visist the Linton many times on neutral terriotries. Catherine is then tricked into going back to wuthering heights and is locked into the house until she marries linton. Heathcliff doesnt care that catherines fathe ris dying, in fact he wants them to be married even more now because he would get the money. after fice days, nelly escpaes back to the grange. Edgar sees catherine once more when she finally escapes before he passes away. Edgar is truly a good character and would do anything for catherine. “Then I said I must go first, and tell of her arrival; imploring her to say, she should be happy with young Heathcliff. She stared, but soon comprehending why I counselled her to utter the falsehood, she assured me she would not complain.” nelly manipulating and lying to stay out of trouble “He died blissfully, Mr. Lockwood: he died so. Kissing her cheek, he murmured,—‘I am going to her; and you, darling child, shall come to us!’ and never stirred or spoke again; but continued that rapt, radiant gaze, till his pulse imperceptibly stopped and his soul departed. None could have noticed the exact minute of his death, it was so entirely without a struggle.” Nelly and Edgar 29-31 H Nelly and Edgar 32-34 H In these chapeters, edgar does not play a role. nelly is able to get a job at wuhering heighst when zillah leaves annd she continues to be like a mothe to catherine and a careataker to hareton and the mad heathcliff. Nellu tries to encourage catherine to mend her relationship with Hareton. catherine listens and they end u pkanning to get married on new years day. heathcliff dies and hareton, nelly, catherine, and lockwood are the only characters left. “They are afraid of nothing,’ I grumbled, watching their approach through the window. ‘Together, they would brave Satan and all his legions.” “The crown of all my wishes will be the union of those two. I shall envy no one on their wedding day: there won’t be a happier woman than myself in England!” !!!!! nelly lives for catherien an dcares so much for her happiness Nelly and Edgar 29-31 H Edgar's memory and the love he shared is the only thing left of him un these chapters. After his funerals, Heathcliff comes to and confesses that he has Catherine's grave undue and opened so he could see her again. He says that she has been haunting him for the last 18 years since she has died. Nelly also begs heathcliff for the chance to work at Wuthering Heights so she can be with Catherine. Even though she knows the awful things that happen there, she is willing to endure it because she feels the need to be with Catherine, protect her,and serve her. She is like a mother to her. “Good-bye, Ellen!’ whispered my dear little mistress. As she kissed me, her lips felt like ice. ‘Come and see me, Ellen; don’t forget.” “How dreary life gets over in that house!’ I reflected, while riding down the road. ‘What a realisation of something more romantic than a fairy tale it would have been for Mrs. Linton Heathcliff, had she and I struck up an attachment, as her good nurse desired, and migrated together into the stirring atmosphere of the town!” “She does not seem so amiable,’ I thought, ‘as Mrs. Dean would persuade me to believe. She’s a beauty, it is true; but not an angel.”